Too Late To Turn Around
by Katymarino
Summary: Tommy's back after three years. Jude only finds out when she bumps into him at a bar. Oddly, she doesn't seem to care whether he stays or goes. Sadie, on the other hand, has a lot of secrets she won't share. Tommy/Jude
1. Chapter 1

"Jude, I have to go." Tommy insisted as she tugged on his shirt, begging him to stay just a little longer.

Jude stood firmly in front of the door, Tommy trying to get past. "What's so great about her?" She asked, she knew she sounded foolish, but she didn't care anymore. "We found each other again."

Last night... Tommy couldn't recall most of it. But he remembered the important things. He'd been sitting at the bar, alongside Kwest, they had been talking about how long it had been since Tommy had been around. Over three years, when the room suddenly grew a little quiter and almost everyone in the room was turned towards the door. People were pointing and smiling at whoever was coming in, it had to be a celebrity.

"Celebrities." Kwest joked. "Makes me sick."

The bartender came over to them, asked if they wanted more drinks which they both agreed to quickly. "Tommy Q." A female voice called from directly behind them.

Tommy turned around, expecting to see a fan, when he saw her. "Jude." He breathed before ever registering in his brain what this meant. She stood there, waiting for a hug, or anything, but he just stared at her. She smiled though, classic Tommy, she thought. He would wait for her to say something.

"I missed you." She said sitting down on the stool next to him.

Tommy looked at her, finally seeing her. Her pale blue dress, her hair hanging in loose curls, it was longer he noticed reaching down most of her back. Tommy stil didn't say anything, and Jude sat beside him rocking from side to side on her stool, then called the bartender over, "Excuse me."

"What can I get you miss- Jude Harrison?"

She smiled, but not in an annoyed way, she was genuinly happy to meet a fan. Tommy noticed this right away, and smiled knowing that she would never change. No matter how popular she got, Jude Harrison would always be Jude Harrison. He could feel himself falling back in love with her, a place he realized he may never of left. "Just a Corona."

Tommy raised an eyebrow at her, "A Corona?" He asked smiling.

"What'd you expect?" She laughed, "An apple juice?"

"Maybe." He found himself looking her right in the eyes, he turned away from her and towards Kwest. "So have you two kept in touch."

Kwest and Jude both started laughing uncontrollably, Tommy just sat there completly confused. "What did I miss?"

Jude tried to control herself, but the laughter wouldn't stop. Finally she said, "Kwest is-" But she broke into laughter again, "Kwest is my brother-in-law."

"WHAT?" Tommy asked louder than he meant to, "When did this happen?"

"A year ago, buddy." Kwest answered. "We were engaged for about 6 months, and well you were M.I.A so there was no way to tell you."

"Why didn't you tell me earier?" Tommy asked, "We've been sitting here for a half hour!"

Kwest noticed someone walking towards them, "Speaking of, here comes Sadie."

Tommy turned around, half expecting to see her walking over with three kids at her side. But no, she was the same Sadie, but now she was married. It seemed so unreal. Three years changed everything.

"Tom." She said smiling, "Where have you been hiding?" She asked before giving a quick kiss to Kwest and then leaning against the bar between the two boys.

"New York." He answered, but she knew it all along. There were too many secrets Sadie was keeping, and Tommy was afraid he was the main reason for that.

"Kwest didn't tell me you two were meeting up. He also didn't even tell me he's talked to you lately."

Kwest hugged her waist, "Sorry, it just happened today. Tommy made an appearance at the studio and I had to grab him before he took off again. When is that exactly?"

"Tomorrow." Tommy answered quickly. He turned towards Jude to see her reaction, but she was only smiling, as if this news didn't matter to her in the least. And maybe now it didn't. "I only came over here to see how everyone's been doing."

"Any girls in New York?" Sadie asked. But she knew that answer full well. Tommy felt like he'd slipped into the Twilight Zone with Sadie. What did it matter that every so often she would call him. They had a truly superficial friendship. He'd ask about Jude, Sadie would tell him about her job. And they'd both promise to plan a visit but neither really meant it.

Why had she failed to mention the marriage. That was pretty big news. And she could have told Kwest how to reach him, but she chose not to. All along Sadie had told Tommy that Kwest didn't have time, or that he had relayed a message to Tommy. For those three years all Tommy had thought was that no one wanted to see him. Now he knew the truth, Sadie didn't want him to see them.


	2. Chapter 2

Jude sat quietly beside Tom. He looked exactly as she remembered him, only a little more facial hair than usual. She could almost remember all those old feelings for him, but these days she'd become too numb to feel them herself. She watched as he spoke to Sadie and Kwest, wondering when her phone would ring. Just as she wondered when it would- her ringtone of Tommy's new song blasted.

Tommy turned to her and smiled, his heart pounded as he realized she'd still been thinking of him. Jude spoke quietly and made plans to meet someone in an hour. Tommy felt a pang in his chest as he realized she was leaving before he could even explain. There was so much going on, and so much that Tommy himself barely understood.

When she hung up she could feel glares from Kwest and Sadie. Only they would assume the worst Jude thought. "So Tommy, hows New York City treating you?" Jude asked. She tried to sound happy, but the anger in the back of her mind was trickling into her speech.

Where was her excitement? Tommy asked himself. Where was her bubbly personality? She always had the ability to brighten even his worst days, even if he didn't always show it. She looked gorgeous. Her long blonde hair, her petite body, the fact that she still made his heart race just by locking eyes with him. It was her voice though, and drooping eyes that made him suddenly feel sad for her. "New York's good. It's treating me okay," He answered. He focused on her hands, he desperately wanted to reach out and hold them. Beg her to tell him everything. He wondered in that instant if this was all his doing.

"Just okay?" Jude asked with a little more excitement to her voice, she was really trying now. She could see his confusion, and she knew the act to make herself look as she used to. She might not have the same feelings, but she knew how to make it look real.

Sadie stepped in, putting her hand on Jude's shoulder. "Hey, I need to talk to you. Let's go to the ladies room."

"Alright." Jude said as she followed Sadie to the bathroom.

Kwest turned to Tommy, Tommy saw the seriousness in his face, "I was hoping I didn't have to tell you this," Kwest started saying, "But Jude has been messed up for a long time."

Tommy knew it, he knew it as soon as she started talking. "Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"It wouldn't of brought you back." Kwest said flatly. "You were gone and Jude got sick."

"Wait. What's wrong?"

"Jude needs to tell you herself though. It's not my place to say. She wants to tell you. It's just hard for her."

"Well, she's trying to leave."

"Tell her not to go." Kwest said dryly staring down at his drink. "Just- just tell her not to go."


	3. Chapter 3

How things had changed, thats all Jude could think of as she'd been sitting on the counter in the womans restroom. Sadie stood in front of the mirror fixing her hair and checking her eye shadow. As she used her pinky to fix a smudge above her left eye she turned her head towards Jude, Jude however did not make eye contact. She knew how icy Sadies glares had become over the years.

"Just try and behave yourself tonite." Sadie growled. "No more of this lashing out. I'm tired of having to be your mother."

Jude laughed. How dare Sadie even assume that what she was doing was 'mothering'. So Jude had hit a rough patch? Who in her line of work hadn't? It's not like she was out bashing cars with umbrellas.

"Alright MOM." Jude said through gritted teeth. "I havn't done anything tonite. So just calm down."

Sadie backed away from the mirror and allowed herself to get a full view of her alfit. Tight red shirt, tight black skinny jeans, high healed shoes and her flawless blonde hair teased to look bigger. She fluffed her hair then turned to Jude,"Yet." Sadie added bitterly. "You havn't dont anything YET. So let's keep it that way."

Jude suddenly had the urge to spit on her sister, but she surpressed it. God how these pills made her crazy.

"You should go out there first." Jude said. "I need a minute to calm down."

"Yea right, like I'm going to leave you alone with Kwest here. He'd kill me."

"Dear old big brother. Tell him to leave me alone."

Sadie sighed, "Trust me, I do. Just calm yourself down and let's go back out there. God, you act like Tommy came to see you or something. He didn't even call to tell you he's back in town."

Judes heart sank. Sadie had been cruel lately, but that was just too much. "You've become a real bitch." Jude spat at her sister.

"And you, dear sister, are a real pill popper. We all have our problems, now let's go."

Tommy knew what he had to do; he had to get Jude alone. All he could do was think that Jude had been "sick" for the past three years, and that maybe she'd needed him in that time. After about 10 minutes the girls finally returned. As they walked out Tommy quickly noticed the smile on Judes face, "a mask" he thought to himself. That smile was a lie that he wouldn't let work on him.

Jude knew the smile would work, it never failed. She used it to fool reporters, fans, and even family. Although now, one look at Tommy, and she knew it wouldn't work. He suddenly looked sad for her. That was the one face she'd been avoiding for the past three years.

Jude quickly started planning her escape, she looked around the room as she got closer to Tommy. There was a back exit not too far from them. She could say she had to meet up with a friend at the back of the bar, and then never come back. Sadie was easy to fool, she'd constantly let Jude out of her sight, but it was Kwest that she worried about. He was always on top of every move she made.

"Well, I should probably-" Jude started saying as she got within ear shot of the boys , but before she could finsih excusing herself from the group, Tommy grabbed her by the wrist and started leading her towards the back exit. He could feel Sadies eyes on him. When he looked back and beyond Judes confused face he saw Sadie start following behind them.

"Tommy what are you-" Jude started asking, but she could see the confusion in his eyes as well, so she just quickened her pace and allowed herself to trust him once again.


End file.
